Oscar Winner Developing Starz Drama

A new drama is in the works at pay-cable channel Starz, with an Academy Award-winning screenwriter behind the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The project, “Crime,” comes from William Monahan, who won an Oscar in 2007 for his screenplay for “The Departed.”

“Monahan will pen the script for ‘Crime,’ which is described as a study of criminal enterprises and scandal across 1960s Britain,” the piece reports. “The project, which has received a script commitment from the pay cabler, was originally developed as a feature film treatment by Vanessa Sadler.”

Monahan told the publication: “There’s very little more interesting to me than the ’60s in Britain. Taken from Profumo to psychedelia, from the London criminal world to the worlds of art and fashion — all of which continually intersected. I know one thing: It’s very, very, funny.”

The project marks the first foray into television for Atlas Entertainment, whose Charles Roven and William Green will executive produce with Monahan and Andy Horwitz co-executive produding. “Justine Suzanne Jones, president of development at Monahan’s production company Henceforth Pictures, will co-exec produce,” the report adds.

In a statement, Starz Entertainment Managing Director Carmi Zlotnik said: "We are excited to be working with William Monahan on one of his passion projects. ‘Crime’ is the kind of unique storytelling that elevates scripted television for audiences."

Adds Roven: "We’re thrilled that our first foray in television has us working with the incredibly talented William Monahan on this unique show, and we’re excited to be sharing it with audiences not only in the U.S. but around the world.”

Starz has been pumping up its development slate as it prepares to lose its portfolio of Disney features in 2016, the report notes. “Starz is scheduled to launch at least four scripted series in 2013, including the final season of ‘Spartacus,’ season two of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s ‘Magic City,’ freshman period drama ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’ and new limited series ‘The White Queen’ with Janet McTeer,” the piece adds.